1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to auditing events occurring upon a server. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating and processing audit data from events within a target server, without using an agent that resides on the target server.
2. Description of the Related Art
A software agent is a piece of computer code (e.g., C++, Java, etc.) that acts on behalf of a user and/or another computer program in an agency relationship. The software agent may comprise functions, methods, and objects. For the most part, the software agent is defined by its behavior.
A software agent is generally capable of operating autonomously. Usually, software agents run in the background of a system (e.g., operating system, control system, etc.) to analyze their computer environment and react accordingly. Software agents communicate with other system components in order to coordinate activities or collaborate on a given task. In one particular use of an agent, the agent is placed upon a server to audit server activity by gathering server events and transaction information. The agent communicates this information to a monitoring server that analyzes the information to understand the operation of the server as well as other servers in a network.
Since agents are executable programs, they create a processing burden for the server on which they are executed. Furthermore, software agents require constant monitoring and maintenance by well-trained, qualified professionals (e.g., database administrators, software engineers, and system specialists). Thus, the use of agents creates an administrative burden as well as a processing burden.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for performing agent-less auditing of a server.